Fuse-switch panel



Patented Dec. 10, 1929 1 UNITED" STATES HU BERT K. KRANTZ, OF LONG ISLAND, NEW "YORK FUSE-SWITCH PANEL Applicati'onfiled August 19, 1926. Serial No. 130,202.

This invention relates to a fuse switch panel and particularly to means by whichgreat compactness and consequent efficiency may be attained in the provision of current controlling devices the present invention being in some respects an improvement over what 1s shown and described in my co-pending application Serial No. 130,201.

A more specific object is to provide means whereby the total space required to accommodate a given number of switch elements and their fuse elements within or upon a panelis reduced Without detrimental sacrifice of insulating qualities.

Afurtherspecific object isto provide a fuse switch panel made up of units of novel construction each for controlling one or more circuits and designed so that a greater number of units may be assembled within a given ZJ space than inthe structure disclosed in said co-pendingapplication. q e

A still further specific object is to provide an improved fuse switch block or unit in which the fuses and switches are so arranged I V that, without sacrifice of safety with regard to the insulation of its component current carrying elements, the block or unit may be made of less width than the blocks o'r-units disclosed in said co-pending application.

Other objects and aims of the invention, more or less specific than those referred to above, will be in part obvious'and in part pointed out in the {Course of the following description of the elements, combinations, arrangements of parts and applications of principles constituting the invention; and the scope of protection contemplated will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which are to be taken as a part of this specification, and in which I have shown merely a preferred form of embodiment of the invention Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a fuse switch panel constructed in accordance with this invention, the protecting cover doorbeing shown partly broken away to disclose the fuse switch blocks or units arranged therebeneath, and the circuits through the fuses being illustrated diagrammatically.

Fig. 2 is a. transverse sectional view taken upon the plane of line ZIP-II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3is a plan view illustrating a modification in which the fuse switch blocks or'units are of what may be referred to as a double type, and Fig; 4 is a view similar to that seen in 3 but illustrating a different arrangement of the switch receiving recesses. 7

Referring to the drawings for describing in detail the invention as illustratedthere in, the reference character I indicates aprotecting casing such as commonly comprises a part of switch panel construction said casing including a bottomwall 1, confining side walls 2--2 and a top or front wall 3. The wall 3 has a central opening 4 through which the fuse blocks or units as 55 are readily accessible, and this openingis covered by a door Gr customarily supported by a hinge 'as 6 so that it may be swung to and from closed position protecting the fuses and switches at will. p

The fuse switch'blocks or units 5-5 are substantially identical'with 'eachother and only one need therefore be described in detail. Theyare made of insulating material, suchas porcelain, Bakelite, or other suitable material.

An appropriate cavity or recess as 7 is provided opening outwardly through the front face of theblock or unit adjacent one'end of the unit. Within this cavity is carried the switch mechanism H. The switch mechanism may be of any desired type or construction and a part thereof, as the operating handle8, projects outwardly through a suitable slot as 9 for the convenient manual operation of the switch mechanism. A cover plate as 10 may be provided over the recess to protect the switch mechanism in the recess 7 the slot 9 being formed through said cover plate in such manner as to properly accommodatemove ment of the handle 8 to and from on position, as will be readily understood.

Other appropriate cavities at 11 and 12 are provided opening outwardly through. the front face of the unit adapted to receive the usual fuse plugs as 13 and 14 respectively, and it is a particular feature of this invention to arrange these cavities, and consequently the fuse plugs 13 and 14, in substantial alignment with each other longitudinally of the unit in a direction away from the switch II, as by this means the width of the unit, that the distance between its opposite side walls as 15 and 16, need not be greater than is re quired to efficiently accommodate the width of a single fuse plug.

By so constructing the unit as to accommodate the fuses side by side lengthwise of the unit the length of the unit is not objeetionably increased, but rather to the contrary since an increase in length is desirable in order to maintain an attractive synnnetric appearance for the panel board especially where a large number of units are arranged side by side in the panel. The reduction in width however, made possible by the longitudinal alignment of the fuses, is a matter of prime importance in that it enables a considerably greater number ofunits, and consequently a corresponding increase in circuit number capacity, for any given size of panel, allas set forth in said co- )ending application.

he units are formed with a suitable recess as 17 'on their under sides designed to accommodate the usual bus bars 13, 19 and 20, and each is-providcdwith a shoulder or like part as 21 for engagement by the marginal edge portions surrounding the opening 4 of the top wall 3 for retaining the units collective-l in their appointed position within the opening 4.

The manner in which the bus bars are electrically connected with the switch mechanism is illustrated diagrammatically by wires 22 and 23 in Fig. 2, and the manner in which the fuses are connected between the switch mechanism and the line is diagrammati ally shown in Fig. 1 indicated by wires 24- and for fuse 13 and Wires 26 and 27 for fuse 14;, it beingunderstood that the mechanical em bodiinent of means providing electrical connections between the bus bars and the switch and between the switch and the fuses not specifically pertinent to the present invention.

The structure as thus far described is substantially the same as is disclosed in the co pending application referred to, wherein the cavitiesor recesses for receiving the switch mechanisms Hare bounded by walls of insulating material on all four sides, the recesses being open only at the top. The nature of the improvement thereon as suggested by the present invention consists in forming the units so that the switch receiving recr ses t-hereof'have opposite side walls in the direction of'length of the unit only, the side walls in the direction of the width of the unit, as illustrated in the co-pending application, being omitted and the transverse width of the unit being thereby diminished by the theirness of said walls. To this end the rec. as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 herein open through the opposite sides of the unit.

Also the present improvement consists in so forming the units that by arranging them in panel form, that is in a row side by side, with each succeeding unit longitudinally reversed with respect to its neighbor, the units at opposite sides of any given unit will provide ample walls asQS and29'of insulating mate rial to properly define, close and insulate the switchrecess of the given unit. This is accomplishedzbyxsimply arranging the recess at one side of the middle of the length of the unit.

By this simple expedient the width of the unit is reduced'to the bare requirements for accommodating the width of the switch mechanism,.no allowance for'thickness of insulating .walls being required: In practice it is found that one-halfto three-quarters of an inch may thus readily'be saved in the'width of the unit.

Blanlrunits or plain slabs as 30 of insulating materialmay be employed to close the outer side of the switch recess of the last unit in anly panelor row;

n the'modification Fig. 3 the structure there illustrated is identical in all respects to the structure alread described except that it suggests a double form for the units 5, that is a form in which the length of the unit is substantially doubled so as to carry two sets of switches and fuses, one-half of the length of the unitbeing made to accommodate one switch device'and its two fuses as above set' forth with respect to the units of Fig; 1, and the other half being made to accommodate a duplicate switch and two fuses, the two switches of this double unit are arranged'adjacent the centre of the unit and the two sets of fuses are substantially aligned with each other longitudinally of the unit and beyond the switches in opposite directions so that allof the fuses and switches of'theunit are substantially inalignment longitudinallyof'the unit thereby providing double circuit number capacity for the unit.

In order that units of this double capacity may partake of the advantages of the present invention the switch'receiving cavities, here designated by the reference characters 31 and 32, are closed b transverse side walls 33 and 34 at one si e of the unit only, the opposite side of the cavity being left open and adaptedto be closed by the walls 33 and 34 of the next succeeding unit. By this arrangement the'width of the unit is reduced to an extent corresponding to the thickness of one of the side walls 33 and 3 1 instead of by twice this thickness as is the case with the structure Fig. 1.

In the modification Fig. i the structure is substantially the same as in Fig. 3 except that the switch recess 32 has its transverse side wall, here designated by the reference character 35, on the opposite side of the recess as compared with the structure Fig. 3, the

transverse side wall 33 of recess 31 being unchanged. By this arrangementthe open side of the recess 31 of a given unit is adapted to be closed by the side wall as 33 of one unit and the open side of the second recess, as 32, of the given unit is adapted to be closed v by the next adjacent unit on the opposite side of the given units.

Such units as those which are illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 are adapted for use in the building of panel structures where a larger number of branch circuits are to be provided for than would be desirable for the structure Fig. 1, but it is pointed out that either of these panel structures may be built up of an indefinite number of units accordingto requirements and according to the shape of the space available to accommodate them,

the use of single units as in Figs. 1 and 2 requiring a relatively longer and narrower space for a given number of circults than the use of double units as per Figs. 3 and 4.

In order that the cover plates10, in all of the structure described may properly cover the switch recesses said plates may if desired be made of sufficient width so'as to provide portions as 3636 arranged to hip over the next adjacent unit and thereby efliciently close the joint between the two units in the region of the switch recesses.

'VVhile the invention is hereinabove particularly set forth in its relation to the build ing up of panels andthe like from individual units it is not intended to be limited in this regard since obviously its advantages areattamed not only through the use of units in which the switch recesses are open at one or more sides and intended to be closed by abutting parts of'adjacent units, but also by the novel relative arrangement of the switch and fuse elements in the completed panel, namely with the switch recesses may be arranged as herein suggested with equally advantageous results.

As many changes could be made in this construction without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is I 1. A unit adapted to be used as one of a series of similar units arranged side by side in panel-like formation, said unit being formed of insulating material and having a recess therein adapted to contain an electrical "device, and said unit being formed with said recess opening through the sides of theunit arranged to be closed by abutting parts of adjacent units.

2. A unit adapted to be used as one of a series of similar units arranged side, by side in panel-like formation, said unit being formed of insulating material and having a recess therein adapted to contain an electrical device, and said recess opening through at least one side of the unit arranged to be closed by an abutting part of an adjacent unit. 3. A switch unit adapted to be used as-one of a series of similar units arranged side by side, said unit including a switch mechanism and having a recess therein containing at said switch mechanism, and said recess opening-t-hroughatleast one side of said unit and being arranged to be closed by an abutting part of an adjacent unit; 7 v

4;. An elongated fuse switch unit adapted to be used as one of a series of similar units arranged in a row side by side with their longer dimensions transverse to the length of the row, said unit including a' switch mechanism and a plurality offusesall arranged so as to stand substantially in alignment longitudi-nally of the unit, the unit having a recess therein at one side of the middle of its length adapted to contain the switch mechanism, and said recess openingthrough the oppositeside walls of the unit adapted to be closed by wall parts of adjacent units.

5. A fuse switch panel made up of a plurality of independently formed fuse switch units arranged side by side in a row, said units each having a recess therein to receive its respective-switch mechanism, said recesses opening through the opposite sides of the unit and being at one side of themiddle of the length of the unit, and the successive units in the panel being longitudinally reversed with respect to each other so that the recess of each unit is sandwiched between a relatively nonrecessed portion of two adjacent other units.

6. A unit adapted to be used as one of a series of similar units arranged side by side in panel-like formation, said unit being formed of insulating material and having a recess therein adapted to contain an electrical device, said recess opening through a plurality of lateral sides of the unit and being disposed for being closed by wall parts of the other units.

7. A fuse switch panel comprising a base of insulating material made up of a plurality of independently formed sections arranged side by side, each section having a switch recess therein and aifuse recess therein, andisaid sections being disposed With respect to each other so thatthe Wallsof the fuse recesses'respectively constitute angularly related Walls for the switch recesses.

' 8. A fuse switch panelmade up of a phirality of independently formed fuse switch unit-s arranged side by side in a row, said units each having a recess therein to receive 1Q an electrical device, said recesses opening through at least one side of the respective units and being closed by a Wall part of the next adjacent unit.

9, A unit adapted to be used as one of a 5 series of similar units arranged side by side in panel-like formation, said unit being formed of insulating material and having a recess therein adapted to contain an electrical device, said recess opening through at least one side of the unit arranged to be closed by an abutting part of an adjacent unit, and a'cover for said recess having a portion extending to overlap a portion of the adjacent unit.

10. A unit adapted to be used as one of a series of similar units arranged side by side in panel-like formation, said unit including a switch mechanism and having a recess therein containing said switch mechanism, said unit including also a cover for said recess having an opening therethrough, and a handle for the switch mechanism operable through said opening, said recess opening through at least one side of said units adapted to be closed by an abutting part of an adjacent unit, and

3 said cover having an extending portion adapted to overlie the abutting-part of said adjacent unit.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature.

HUBERT K. KRANTZ, 

